Piron: Israel Cannot Afford 'Brain Drain'

Education Minister Rabbi Shai Piron said that the state needed to provide the proper resources to prevent "brain drain"

David Lev, 16/04/13 22:12

Shai Piron

Muki Schwartz

Speaking at the ceremony for the distribution of the Israel Prizes Tuesday night, Education Minister Rabbi Shai Piron said that the state needed to provide the proper resources for the development and enhancing of its “human capital” - and ensure that it remains in Israel.

“A society is measured on how it treats and relates to its thinkers and doers,” Piron said. "We must do everything we can to ensure that the winners of Nobel Prizes, Israel Prizes, thinkers, writers, and cultural leaders are well-known to young Israelis. The youth must know something about their lives, their creations, their contributions to our quality of life. I believe that there are great powers in the youth, and we must place before them the challenges shown by our great cultural leaders,” Piron said.

“We must ensure that Israel retains its status and allocates resources for the development of its 'human wealth,' its human resources,” he added, and prevent “brain drain.”

Piron discussed the announcements by several wealthy Israelis that they were leaving the country, saying that “I am not so concerned about the fact that rich people are leaving as by the 'brain drain' Israel faces, because of the lessened opportunities for research and development, and the slipping of importance of the social status of thinkers and scientists.”